


A truth universally acknowledged

by Gilded_Moon



Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen, The Witchlands Series - Susan Dennard
Genre: I'll put chapter warnings when that happens, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Multi, Obligatory pride & prejudice au, Period-Typical Homophobia, Regency, anyway, for the sake of avoiding spoliers, if you have any idea of what pride & prejudice is you'll know what to expect, minor changes to pride & prejudice canon for things to make sense, only for two characters who won't appear for a while yet, tags and more characters to come later, that's the only warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29068887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilded_Moon/pseuds/Gilded_Moon
Summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged that there is a Jane Austen au for every fandom. This is the story of Safiya fon Hasstrel and Merik Nihar in the roles of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Will Merik and Safi get their happy ending? Or will they be unable to forgive past wrongs and cause the ruin of more love than their own?
Relationships: Aeduan/Iseult det Midenzi, Iseult det Midenzi & Safiya fon Hasstrel, Safiya fon Hasstrel and Vaness, Safiya fon Hasstrel/Merik Nihar
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	A truth universally acknowledged

**Author's Note:**

> I highly recommend the book if you haven't read it, but if that's not your thing, give the BBC (Colin Firth) version or the 2005 (Kiera Knightley) version a chance. It is absolutely worth it. I made some changes to the story as stated in the tags. That'll be explained as the story goes. As for the warnings, those won't come into play until much later. If anyone needs clarification for which Witchlands characters are supposed to be which Austen characters, let me know in the comments and I'll add a reference list here. Hope you enjoy!- Moon

Oh, Safi’s uncle was _insufferable_.

“Girls! Evrane! Come here now, I have great news!” Eron fon Hasstrel shouted.

Safi looked at her sister Iseult who was wearing a look of irritation nearly identical to Safi’s.

“What could he possibly want this time,” Iseult sighed.

“I have no idea,” Safi answered. “Hopefully it’s not something that will have any long-term effects on our lives.”

The two sisters, twins with Iseult as the oldest, made their way to drawing room where their guardian, Evrane, was sitting with the girls’ other siblings and Uncle Eron.

“Oh good. You two finally got here,” Eron said.

Safi and Iseult sat down on an empty couch near the door.

“What news do you that is so important Uncle?” Asked Safi.

Eron smiled. “Firefly Park is let at last! The man who rented it is named Mr. Aeduan det Amalej. He is the eldest of six, like you Iseult, and supposedly very handsome.” Eron leaned forward and lowered his voice. “And the best part? He gets _five thousand pounds_ a year.”

“That’s well and lovely Eron but what does this have to do with the children?” Evrane asked.

Eron looked shocked at her words. “Why Evrane! It has everything to do with the children for Mr. Amalej is single.”

“Oh, how fantastic,” drawled Esme, the youngest of the six siblings. “A rich, single man in our neighborhood. I am positively dripping with excitement.”

“Esme, do not speak to your uncle in such a way,” snapped Evrane.

Esme scoffed but said no more.

Esme was fifeteen and even more poorly behaved than the sixteen-year-old Lev, who at least had good morals if not socially acceptable manners. Esme had none of that. She was rude and cruel, especially to Iseult as she was jealous of her oldest sister.

Safi shook her head at Esme and returned her attention to the conversation where Eron was trying to get Evrane to understand why it was so important that some rich man was moving into the nieghborhood.

“Evrane, one of the girls must marry him. That will keep the rest of us in good hands. It will also mean we don’t have to worry about your cousin Leopold from getting the estate entailed to him,” said Eron. “We can fulfill the contract and have a well married daughter.”

Safi rolled her eyes. All her uncle could think of was money. He had been trying to get Safi and Iseult married off ever since they had been out in society.

It was annoying. Safi didn’t want to get married to someone she didn’t love with her entire heart. No one had caught the eye of her twin, and their younger siblings could care less about marriage. However, Eron was right about one thing.

The thrice-damned contract, or the Twenty-Year Truce as Safi and Iseult called it, was an agreement the girls’ parents had made with Leopold’s uncle and guardian, Henrik fon Cartorra. Safi didn’t know what exactly the Truce said but for some reason it required that Safi and Iseult be married before they were twenty or some bad thing would happen to the family.

Still, Safi did not care how rich or handsome Mr. Amalej was. If she didn’t love him, she would _not_ marry him or any other man.

Safi felt something slip into her hand from her sister. It was a note that said:

Make up an excuse for us to leave. This is getting irritating.

Safi had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed Iseult writing the note. She reread the note and smiled. If there was one thing she was good at, it was getting of situations that she didn’t want to be in.

The conversation paused and Safi took her chance.

*

For all her skill at getting out of situations she didn’t want to be in, Safi could not get out of going to the Venaza Assembly. Eron was forcing her to attend and not even appealing to Evrane could get Safi a pass from the dance.

So here she was standing with Iseult near the fireplace waiting for Mr. Amalej and his party to arrive. Safi was about to start looking for her friend Vaness when Eron slid next to the girls.

“Now remember girls. Mr. Amalej is bringing his brother, who makes some good money too, and his four sisters. He is also bringing his friend Mr. Nihar, who I’ve just heard makes ten thousand pounds, and his sister. Do your best to catch their attention,” Eron said for what must have been for the thousandth time that day. “Oh, and Iseult? Try to show some kind of emotion. You won’t catch any man looking so… bored. And hold your tongue, Safi. It wouldn’t do to offend such men and ladies as these.”

With that, Eron left the girls to grab a glass of wine.

“Our uncle is a trashy prick,” Safi sniffed.

Iseult snorted. “True enough. That was quite rude.”

“Indeed. Hold my tongue? I think not-“

Safi was cut off as the door to hall opened and the much-anticipated newcomers entered the room.

There were only three gentlemen and none of the promised ladies. All but the man in the lead appeared haughty and stuck up.

Safi hoped that was Mr. Amalej if only for the sake of the young women, especially Iseult and herself, that were sure to be pushed at him.

Sir Habim, the host of the Venaza Assembly, hurried to greet and introduce the men.

After a moment of conversation with the leading man, Habim turned and said, “It is my honor to introduce Mr. Aeduan det Amalej, the new tenet of Firefly Park, his brother Mr. Natan, and Mr. Merik Nihar of Nubrevna estate.”

_Oh good_ , Safi thought. _The sour pricks aren’t the man who is to live here_.

“So, what do you think?” Iseult asked.

“Mr. Amalej seems friendly enough. He’s smiling in any case. His companions seem like sour prick though,” Safi answered.

Iseult giggled, a rare expression of emotion from her. Her laugh was beautiful, and the sound caught the attention of Mr. Amalej who immediately changed course from the punch bowl to where Iseult and Safi stood.

Instantly Eron was at their side. Of course.

“Quick girls! They are coming our way!” Eron cried. “We must impress these men. Iseult, he’s looking at you. Smile so you’ll look pretty. Safiya step back a little. I don’t want you ruining your sister’s chances.”

_Insufferable bastard. How dare he insult Iseult like that? Judging by the eyes Mr. Amalej is giving Iseult, he thinks she’s pretty how she is._

Safi took a deep breath and put her grumblings aside to focus on the men in front of her.

Mr. Amalej stopped in front of Iseult and bowed. He then turned to Eron and said, “Hello sir. May I be introduced to your daughters?”

“Oh of course,” Eron purred. “This is my niece, Iseult and this is her twin, Safiya.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” said Mr. Amalej as he took Iseult’s hand in his and kissed it. “Miss Iseult, may I have you for the dancing tonight?”

“I’d l-love that,” answered Iseult.

A very small smile spread across her face as she was led to the dance floor. Safi was glad. Her sister deserved this.

Safi turned away from the dance floor to examine the other newcomers. Mr. Natan looked infuriated at his brother’s choice of dance partner. Or perhaps the sour prick looked like that all the time. Mr. Nihar on the other hand looked displeased in general. He was doing his best to ignore her uncle’s attempts at conversation.

She couldn’t blame him for that. Eron was annoying to begin with, and he did not improve on trying to have a conversation with.

Safi looked around the room in another attempt to find Vaness. She finally spotted her friend by the punch bowl and went to join her.

Hopefully nothing more exciting than Iseult getting to dance with a rich man would happen that night.

**Author's Note:**

> The sole reason this exists is because I couldn't stop laughing at the idea of Leopold as Mr. Collins. Anyways, thank you for reading :D - Moon


End file.
